Overview: Solar Panel Installers
Solar starts with the roof, not the panels. An array is fastened through the roof covering and then sits there for decades, so a roof with only a few years left in it should be replaced before anything goes on top. An installer who will not talk about the age and condition of your roof is leaving that problem for somebody else.
Next comes the site itself. Orientation, pitch and shade set what an array can produce, and a chimney, a vent stack or a neighbor's maple can take out more than any difference between panel brands. Ask for a shade study, and ask how the design copes with the shaded part of the roof. That is the real argument between a string inverter and microinverters.
The rest is connection and paperwork: the building permit, the utility interconnection agreement, the meter arrangement and the monitoring you will actually look at. A battery is a separate decision with its own location and its own electrical work.
Warranties are only as strong as the company behind them, and solar companies do close. Ask who answers the phone for a workmanship claim if yours is gone. Use the state and city lists below to find installers covering your area.
Frequently asked questions
Does my roof need work before panels go on?
Look at the roof covering and the framing first. If the roof is near the end of its service life, replace it before the array goes up, because removing and reinstalling panels later is pure waste. The framing has to carry the extra load, which is rarely an issue on a sound roof but is worth confirming on an older house or a converted porch.
String inverter or microinverters?
It comes down to shade and roof shape. A string inverter ties panels together, so a shaded panel drags on the group, and it puts one box on a wall where you can reach it. Microinverters or optimizers work panel by panel, handle broken up roofs and shading better, and put electronics under every panel. Ask which the design assumes and why.
Will the roof mounts leak?
A properly flashed mount will not. Each penetration should go into a rafter and be sealed with a flashing that tucks under the course above, rather than relying on a bead of sealant that will fail in the sun. Ask what flashing system they use and whether the workmanship warranty covers the roof, not just the electrical side.
What does adding a battery change?
It stores what you generate and did not use, and with the right setup it keeps chosen circuits alive when the grid goes down. Note that plain grid tied solar shuts off in an outage for the safety of line crews, so backup power is a battery feature rather than a solar feature. Batteries need a location that stays within their temperature range.
Who honors the warranty if the installer closes?
Split it in your head. Panels and inverters carry manufacturer warranties, which survive the installer as long as the equipment was registered and you have the paperwork. Workmanship and roof penetrations are the installer's own promise and disappear with the company. Keep the design drawings, serial numbers and permit records somewhere you can find them.
